Benjamin mobton



B. MORTON.

(No Model.)

HAMMOGK.

No. 285,299. Patented Sept. 18, 1883.

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n. PEI'ERS. mo-mm w. Wahmllon. n. c,

V UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

BENJAMIN MORTON, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

HAMMOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 285,299, dated September .18, 1883,

Application filed April 13, 1883. No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN MORTON, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at the city of Toronto, in the county of York, in the Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hammocks, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to provide a cheap and at the same time comfortable hammock; and it consists in arranging a series of wooden slats upon and fixedto two metal chains or straps of rubber or leather running parallel with each other at a distance sufficiently. far apart to form a support for the slats, meeting at either end on a line running through the lateral center of the said slats.

Figure 1 is a view of the hammock as it will appear when swung in position. Fig. 2 is a view of it folded for transportation. Fig. 3 is a detail showing the manner of connecting the slatsto the supporting chains or straps. Fig. 4 is .a perspective view of the foot-rest. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail, showing the perforation in the strap,

In the drawings, A are thin wooden slats arranged upon and supported by the straps B. These straps, it will be seen, run parallel with each other sufficiently far apart to support the slats A, meeting at either end on a center line running laterally through the said slats, a hook or eye being placed at each end for the purpose of holding the hammock in position.

Upon the bottom of each slat, and at or near both ends of them, I secure by a single screw a spring-plate, 0, having a projecting pin, D, formed on its face. This projecting pin D is designed to fit into a hole made in the strap B, to secure each slat in position, as shown. When the chain is used instead of the strap, this pin D will fit into the links, thereby securing each slat in position, while permitting its ready removal and the rapid make-up of the hammock when taken apart.

While the arrangement of cross-slats, sup- 5 ported as described, will form a hammock very comfortable to lie upon, it will be noticed that it also presents a fiat surface upon which a mattress may readily be laid, thereby constituting a most comfortable swinging cot.

In order to make my hammock more comfortable, I provide what may be termed an adjustable footrest, made as shown in Fig. 4. It will be seen by this figure that the footrest is composed of two strips of wood,E F, the same length as the slats A. The strip E is tacked or otherwise fastened on the center of the strip F, so that a portion of the strip F shall project on either side of the strip E, thus forming a T, one arm, F, of which is designed to fit between the slats A, while the other arm projects above, the strip E preventing it from falling through the space between the slats A, and at the same time affords a resting-place for the ankles when the foot is placed against the projecting side of the slat F.

By providing a foot-rest of this description the occupant of the hammock can adjust it to suit his own comfort. He may also by lowering the foot end of the hammock produce a comfortable swinging chair. the body being held at any desired inclination, the occupant holding himself in position by his feet resting on the foot-rest.

While the foot-rest thus described is mainly designed for such, it will be seen that it may be used as a pillow-support by placing it at the head of the hammock.

What I claim as my invention is As an improvedhammock, a series of wooden slats, A, provided at each end with a springplatc, 0, having a projecting pin, D, in combination with perforated straps B, arranged substantially as and for the purpose specified.

B. MORTON.

\Vitnesses CHAS. O. BALDWIN, F. BARNARD FETHERSTONHAUGH. 

